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Sunday, April 7, 2013

Final 20 mile (assist) before Eugene

Training partner, SL, had her last 20 miler on the books this weekend and I was more than happy to keep her company for a portion of those miles. We've been having cool weather and rain but got lucky Saturday morning with some cloud clearing and no rain but a bit of wind (it started to rain MINUTES after SL finished her full distance & got back to her car!).

SL started at Seattle's Madison Park, heading south along Lake Washington where I met up with her under the I-90 floating bridge (~mile 3.5).

The elevation profile is a bit wacky but you get the idea (courtesy of USATF.ORG)

As you can see, we traveled a rolling hilly loop around the wooded island. I typically like the hills and enjoy running here but in my current state, I was having a hard time and had to walk a couple of the steeper inclines. Poor SL! Her last 20-miler and I suggest this crazy route = 1,278 feet of total climb! But, we decided this will just make her extra bad-ass at Eugene, where she will turn mountains into molehills.

I was so nervous I wasn't going to be able to make the whole 13.9-mile portion I selected to run with her. I feared I would be dropping off and taking a bus home, abandoning SL, but I pulled it off. With the help of the back/belly brace, my 18.7-week old baby belly and I pulled through. Such a relief. With the exception of the steeper hills and my uneasy mental state, I actually felt pretty good.

While I didn't run a full 20+ miler, I had such a great sense of accomplishment when I was done! 13.9 miles and almost 19 weeks pregnant! BOOYA!

Training earlier in the week went great as far as biking is concerned, but was weak on the strength. I had planned 2 days of biking, 2 days of strength, 1 possible yoga day, 1-2 barefoot runs (15 min), and 2 mid-distance runs (1x7 mi, 1x4 mi).

The reality was I biked THREE days this week (nice weather!), did ONE strength workout, NO yoga, NO barefoot running (still need to update on getting kicked off the treadmill at the gym), and running felt rough. These tough midweek runs messed with my head going into that long run. My 7 mile run became a 5.5-miler and my 4 mile run became a 2.8-mile run commute to work.

YES! Aside from the biking, my run commute was a highlight this week. I really wanted to get my run in at the end of the week but was tired (recurring theme) and wanted to sleep in. But, with this thing called work that I have to do, sleeping in AND running were not an option.

SOLUTION = RUN COMMUTE. I slept in a little bit, packed light clothes in a backpack along with my wallet, planner, phone, and 2 hard boiled eggs for breakfast, and was OFF. Like a herd of turtles! I took it slow & easy and made it to the gym to shower, change, and get to work. The distance is only 2.8 miles and I thought about hitting the treadmill to finish the full 4 miles scheduled, but the treadmill just wasn't tempting enough. Off to work I went.I'm thinking I will try this run commute more often on non-laptop-schlepping days as the weather improves and my mileage decreases with increasing belly circumference. COMING UP = TAPER WEEK 1

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A runner trying to strike a balance between work, family, friends, and me-time. I'm not a trainer or coach or anything like that. I'm just an average gal trying to enjoy life, one day at a time, and keep on running and staying healthy.
Send me a message at: averagewomanrunner@gmail.com